Jharkhand’s Maoists have called in rebels from other states: official

Ranchi, April 16 (IANS) Maoist rebels in Jharkhand have called in insurgents from other states to enforce their poll boycott call and carry out violent attacks during the elections, an official said Thursday. “Maoists from outside the state have been called in the state to create violence,” Sarvendu Tathagat, the deputy commissioner of Latehar district, told IANS over phone. Two hours before polling began at 7 p.m., six Border Security Force (BSF) personnel were killed when Maoists triggered off a landmine blast in a jungle of the district, which is part of the Palamau Lok Sabha seat.

Tathagat said Maoist rebels in Jharkhand were divided into two groups, one supporting the two jailed Maoist rebels fighting the election in Chatra and Palamau seats and the second trying to create panic and enforce the boycott call by taking help of rebels from other states.

“The Maoist rebels from outside camping in the state are from Andhra Pradesh and other places,” he said. Asked about presence of Nepali Maoists in the state, he said they did not have confirmed reports about their presence in the state, but did not rule out the possibility.

In Palamau, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has fielded Kameshwar Baitha, a jailed Maoist rebel who faces 44 criminal cases including for attacks on security forces. Baitha had fought the 2006 Palalamu by-election on a BSP ticket and came second.

According to police sources, Baitha enjoys the support of local Maoist rebels at some places in the Palamau Lok Sabha constituency.

Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India-Marxist-Leninist (CPI-ML) has fielded jailed Maoist leader Ranjan Yadav from Chatra. Yadav is also said to have the support of local rebels in rural areas of the constituency.